The present invention relates to electrical connectors, and more particularly to vehicle mounted, environmentally protected exterior connectors which are substantially sealed from the elements.
Motor vehicles are often outfitted with an exterior multiple-conductor electric cable and associated connector or outlet to facilitate the towing of general purpose trailers, other motor vehicles, recreational vehicles, trailerable homes, or the like. One of the requirements of towing the trailers or vehicles is that, depending upon the configuration of the trailer or vehicle being towed, electrical signals to energize brake lights, running lights, turn signal lights, and provide power for various accessory devices must be transmitted from the towing vehicle to the towed trailer or vehicle. To accomplish this, electrical conductors which are typically housed in a sheath as a cable are routed to the rear of the vehicle and terminate at a connector mounted at or below the rear bumper of the towing vehicle. The connector has an internal contact configuration which is typically a standard throughout the industry to facilitate the connecting of an oppositely configured connector and associated cable which is part of the towed vehicle or trailer.
The externally mounted connector of the towing vehicle is typically mounted at or below rear bumper level, and is therefore subject to substantial environmental exposure which includes water, dust, snow, road salts, and the like. Such environmental exposure tends to corrode, short-circuit, and otherwise degrade the conductivity of electrical connections and thus diminish the operational capability of the connector. Prolonged environmental exposure can even result in the failure of the electrical connection, thus interrupting the electrical power and signals being transmitted to the towed trailer or vehicle. The disruption of signals and power to functions such as brake lights, signal lights etc., poses a serious safety concern to the operator of the vehicle and other motorists, and the provision of effective environmentally protected connectors has posed a problem for the manufacturers as well as users of such connectors.
The industry and using public have a need for a cable-connector combination which will reliably deliver electrical signals and electric power to a towed vehicle or trailer when used in the typical environmental conditions of road travel has long-term reliability, and which nonetheless is comparatively easy and economical to manufacture with consistent quality.
One aspect of the present invention is an environmentally protected connector of a sealed or substantially sealed character for attachment to a cable having a plurality of electrical conductors where each conductor is terminated at an end thereof with a contact. The connector includes a housing having a floor with a plurality of apertures therethrough arranged in a predetermined pattern. A backshell extends from the floor of the housing and encompasses the extended axes of the apertures, the backshell preferably having at least one bead portion protruding from an outer surface of the backshell and extending at least partially around the backshell. A plurality of electrical contacts are disposed within the housing, each of the electrical contacts having a portion extending through one of the apertures and adapted to mate with one of the contact-terminated electrical conductors. Each of the electrical contacts has a locking member for retaining the electrical contacts in a fixed relationship to the floor. An overmold extends from and is molded annularly about an extended portion of the backshell, a portion of the overmold extending over and engaging the bead. The overmold is also adapted to encompass the outer sheath or exterior of the cable of electrical conductors.
Another aspect of the invention is a connector shell for attachment to a cable having a plurality of electrical conductors. The connector shell includes a housing having a floor which has a plurality of apertures therethrough, arranged in a predetermined pattern where the apertures are adapted to receive electrical contacts therethrough. A backshell extends from the floor of the housing and encompasses the extended axes of all of the apertures and has at least one bead portion protruding from an outer surface. The bead extends at least partially around the outer surface. An overmold extends from and is molded about an exterior of the backshell to couple the overmold and backshell together. A portion of the overmold engages the bead portion in a retaining relationship to augment the connection between the overmold and the backshell. The overmold is adapted to encompass an exterior portion of the cable of electrical conductors.
Yet another aspect of the invention is an environmentally protected connector for attachment to a cable having a plurality of electrical conductors where each conductor is terminated at an end thereof with a contact. The connector includes a housing having a floor and walls with an upper edge where the walls define a central cavity. The upper edge defines an opening to the cavity, and a flange extends laterally from the walls proximate to the upper edge. The floor has a plurality of apertures therethrough in a predetermined pattern. A cover encloses the cavity opening and is pivotally mounted to the flange. An edge of the cover defines a circular recess about a periphery of the cover. A biasing member cooperates with the flange and the cover to bias the cover toward a closed position. A resilient member retained within the recess is biased against the upper edge when the cover is in the biased-closed position. A backshell extends from the floor of the housing and encompasses the extended axes of the apertures. The backshell has at least one bead portion protruding from an outer surface and extending at least partially therearound. A plurality of electrical contacts are disposed within the housing, each of the electrical contacts having a portion extending through one of the apertures and mated to one of the electrical conductors. The portion extending through the aperture has a locking tab for retaining its respective contact in a fixed relationship to its corresponding aperture. An overmold extends at least from the bead of the outer backshell to an exterior of the cable encompassing the electrical conductors for insulating and isolating the contacts and the conductors from the environment.
Still another aspect of the invention is an environmentally protected connector for attachment to a cable having a plurality of electrical conductors where each conductor is terminated at an end thereof with a contact. The connector includes a housing having a floor and walls with an upper edge where the walls define a central cavity. The upper edge defines an opening to the cavity, and a flange extends laterally from the walls proximate to the upper edge. The floor has a plurality of apertures therethrough in a predetermined pattern. A cover encloses the cavity opening and is pivotally mounted to the flange. An edge of the cover defines a circular recess about a periphery of the cover. A biasing member cooperates with the flange and the cover to bias the cover toward a closed position. A resilient member retained within the recess is biased against the upper edge when the cover is in the biased closed position. A backshell extends from the floor of the housing and encompasses the extended axes of the apertures. The backshell also has at least one bead portion protruding from an outer surface and extends at least partially around the backshell. A plurality of electrical contacts are disposed within the housing. Each of the electrical contacts has a portion extending through one of the apertures and further includes a locking tab for retaining the contact in a fixed relationship to its corresponding aperture. The plurality of electrical conductors are terminated with spade-type contacts which are mateably connected to the contact portions. An overmold is molded onto the backshell and extends at least from the bead of the backshell to the exterior of the cable encompassing the electrical conductors. These and other features, advantages, and objects of the present invention will be further understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art by reference to the following specification, claims, and appended drawings.